Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.
NHS England has published guidance detailing how trusts can reduce instances of ‘did not attends’ (DNAs) for outpatient appointments. RCOphth Policy Advisor David Murray summarises what’s in the guidance, how it might affect ophthalmology services and what else is needed to tackle outpatient backlogs in ophthalmology.
The Advisory Committee on Clinical Impact Awards (ACCIA) has confirmed on their website that the 2023 awards round will commence as planned in March 2023, with a provisional opening date of Friday 3 March. The application window will be open for approximately 8 weeks, closing in late April or early May.
The RCOphth guidance on good practice for urgent and emergency secondary ophthalmic care, includes processes and principles for ensuring reliable administrative and clinical arrangements with the receiving unit (or units) so that referral/transfer is efficient, timely and maintains high standards of patient care.
Further to the release of the Device Safety Information issued on the 26 January, the MHRA released a national patient safety alert on the 1 February.
The RCOphth has published the first annual report for the NOD Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) audit. The report is a significant milestone in benchmarking the delivery of AMD treatment in the UK, using data recorded as part of routine clinical care.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is pleased to announce that their prestigious Part 2 FRCOphth Oral examination will be held in Athens, Greece for the first time in October 2023. This marks the first time that the Part 2 FRCOphth Oral exam will be available to sit on the European mainland, enabling candidates in European and neighbouring countries to sit the exam closer to home.
ACCIA expects the 2023 Clinical Impact Awards round to open for applications in March 2023. The window is set to be open for 8 weeks. The timetable will be published online as soon as it has been finalised, along with updated guidance and details of any process changes.
NHS England is consulting on proposals for the NHS Payment Scheme that will apply between 2023 and 2025, including plans to amend cataract payments. RCOphth’s response will support this change as a way to tackle the risk of “upcoding”, with the caveat that NHS England reviews the effectiveness of how the current system reflects the costs of cataract surgery and other ophthalmology services.
NHS Scotland is developing plans to support eye units to increase the number of cataracts performed per four-hour session. RCOphth is inputting into this work to ensure the most appropriate pathways are developed and clinicians and eye units receive the support they need. RCOphth Policy Manager Jordan Marshall explains the scope of the work and future timelines.
Elevating Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) within The Royal College of Ophthalmologists to better support our members and improve participation in our work is a major priority, and we are currently undertaking work to inform our future plans in this area.
